Gyroscopic steering device.



F. M. LEAVIT'T.

GYROSCOPIC STEERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEQ-Zfi. 1914.

Patented July 6, 1915.

j INVENTOR By Aflomeys,

QITNESSES: MIW s,

. ATENT OFFICE.

FRANK M. LEAVITT, F SMI'IHTOWN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO E. W. BLISS COMPANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

GYROSCOPIC STEERING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1915.

Application filed December 26, 1914. Serial No. 879,147.

steering device for automobile torpedoes.

In such steering mechanisms as heretofore constructed, the gyroscope has been spun at the instant preceding the launching of the torpedo; the speed given to the gyroscope fly-wheel is about ten thousand revolutions per minute; this speed being imposed upon it at the outset and the driving power being instantly withdrawn, the speed gradually runs down during the run of the torpedo.

As the directive force upon which the accuracy of steering depends is a function of the speed, it is important that the. speed should not fall below a certain point prior to the end of the run. The improvements which have been made in the torpedo during recent years have so greatly increased its energy that the torpedo has a far longer range than formerly; this means that its run continues for a longer time; it follows that the fly-wheel is apt to fall to a lower speedbefore the end of the run than affords a safe margin.

The present invention aims to provide a gyroscopic steering mechanism which shall 3 be better adapted to the modern long range torpedoes, in that the speed of the fiy wheel will be maintained for a prolonged period well above the required minimum.

To this end this invention provides the gyroscope with any usual means for spinning it during the launching to bring it up to the required maximum speed and to give it the necessary fixity of direction according to the aim of the torpedo; and in addition 4 provides the gyroscope with an electro-inotor coordinated with the propelling mechanism of the torpedo and adapted to exert such driving torque upon the fly wheel as to maintain it above the necessary minimum 0 speed. The electro-motor forms a part of the gyroscope, as for example by winding the fiy wheel as the armature and a gimbal ring as the field magnet. The electric energy is best derived from the propeller shaft '55 which drives a suitable small dynamo.

The effectiveness of a gyroscopic steering device depends upon the gyroscope being spun with the requisite speed while the torpedo is in the launching tube, so that the aim given by the direction of this tube is impressed upon the gyroscope. It is impracticable to spin the gyroscope before the ejecting movement of the torpedo begins; it is hence the universal practice to start the spinning of the gyroscope upon the operation of the starting gear of the torpedo which is operated from the launchin tube immediately after the torpedo begins to move. The spinning must be completed and the gyroscope unlocked while the torpedo is still in the tube, so that the gyroscope will retain the direction given to the torpedo in the tube. The margin of time available does not exceed one-half second; and in this time it is required to spin the torpedo up to about 10,000 R. P. M. Any material increase of speed would be unsafe and would be practically impossible within the limited time available. The energy of the gyroscope has been conserved as far as possible by the provision of ball bearings. The present invention is able to so far prolong the effective speed of the gyroscope as to adapt, it to keep pace with any possible prolongation of the run or range of the torpedo.

The accompanying drawings show one suitable embodiment of the invention, being the best embodiment known to me.

Figure l is a sectionalelevation of the after part ofa torpedo showing the location and arrangement of the steering mechanism according to this invention; Fig. 2 shows the gyroscope and its spinning mechanism in vertical section on a larger scale; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the gyroscope; Fig. 4 is a diagram showing one suitable winding and connections for the armature and field magnet, these being shown for convenience in the same plane, whereas they are actually in planes perpendicular to one another.

In Fig. 1, A is the torpedo hull, B B are the propeller screws, C is the propeller shaft, D is the usual steering engine, E is the casing containing the gyroscope F, and G is the generator or dynamo.

In Figs. 2 and 3 the gyroscope F comprises a fly-wheel H, hung as usual in a gimbal ring I, which in turn is hung on a horizontal axis in a gimbal ring J, and the latter is pivoted on a vertical axis to a support K, this being the usual arrangement. Ball bearings are shown at the respective pivots.

The fly wheel may be spun by any of the known mechanisms. The one shown is that used .in the Bliss-Leavitttorpedo, the spinning being accomplished by an air-driven turbine. 'The fly wheel shaft has a pinion a with which in the initial position meshes the pinion b on the shaft of the turbine which latter is initially alined with a nozzle d receiving compressed air from a conduit At the launching of the torpedo, high pressure air is admitted to the Conduit e and issues tangentially from the nozzle d, striking upon the bucketsof the turbine wheel a which through the goals?) a spins the fly wheel. At this-time the gyroscope is locked by a'bolt fthe end of which enters a socket g in the ring I. A timing mechanism (not shown) isprovided, whereby-after a given number of revolutions (sufiicient to spin the gyro'scope to the required speed) brings about a sudden displacement of the sleeve 72. which carries the turbine shaft, whereby the turbine c and pinion d are displaced from.

their initial positions to the positions shown in Fi 2; a, projection '5 from the sleeve enis unlocked and set free.

1 gages the bolt f and withdraws this by the 'same movement. It results that the fly wheel is no longer driven and the gyroscope This spinning and unlocking mechanism forms no part of the present invention; fora more complete description reference is made to myapplication Serial No. 683,899iiled March14, 1912. According to the present invention the gyroscope has associatedwith it an electroing preferably built as one with the gyroscope motor. It may be made according to any known 'type of motor, either continuous or alternating current. As an example, a continuous current motor is shown, its field beshunt wound. The electro-motor is so that the fly wheel of the gyroscope constitutes the rotor of the motor and'the inner gimbal'ring' of the gyroscope constitutes its 5 stator. It is most convenient to make the fly wheel serve as the armature and to utilize he inner ring I as the field magnet, but this arrangement is given merely as one example of the practical working out of the invention. I

In the. construction shown the fly wheel H has a core 4n carrying any suitable winding 11., the winding being connected in any usual manner with the segments of a commutator p the brushes 9 of :whichare supported by the ring I. The

form polepie'ces N S at diametrically, oppo-' site sides and wound with field coils r r' which are shown in Fig. 4 as connected in a'shu'nt. Itis necessary to leave the inner a5:-

field ="magnet ring'I is shown as widened to I free to move with the minimum of friction in any-direction, and for this purpose in gyroscopes care is taken to make the pivotal supports of this-ring on the ring J and of the latter on thesupport K as free and frictionless as possible. The electric circuit should be carried to the ring I with the least possible interference with this free' universal motion. This is best accomplished by mounting slip rings and collector" brushes closely adjacent to the pivots of the r ngs I and J. Thus in Fig. 3 the opposite pivots of the ring I carry insulated conducting rings 8 s on which bear lightly brushes 1. t which have an insulated mounting on the ring J. Similarly as shown in Fig. 2 the pivots of the ring J carry con-- the movable member of the dynamo is driven by or connected to the propeller shaft (or other moving part) in any convenient manner, Thus the energy developed bygi thedynamo is controlled by the speed of :the torpedo motor, which varies only as the torpedo motor may be set for such different speeds as are customary in practice; but such variations in speed are within the range permissible for the speed of the gyrbscope. Thus the generator for thegyroscope motor is kept at a substantially uniform delivery of energy by reason of its association with the torpedo motor. 1

In operation, the spin'ning-up'mechanlsm' is operated as heretofore while the torpedo is moving within 'the launching tube. It completes its work of bringing the fly wheel up to speed, and it frees and unlocks the gyroscope before the torpedo has emerged from the tube or changed its direction.

Thus far the operation is performed precisely as has heretofore been customary.

The turbine or other driving engine of the torpedo-is started automatically at this time of launching in the usual manner. this engine accelerates to normal speed, it"starts and speeds up the dynamo G mal speed is reached the dynamo is generating its normalacurrent, and this is conducted through the circuit to the electro-motor' which forms part of the gyroscope. This motor then develops suifici'enttorque to overcome the friction of the gyroscope fly wheel and keep it up to its appropriate speed.

For example if spun'up to 10,000 R. M.,

and if a. given case aspeed of 5,000 R.

When nor M. is ample, it may happen that the wheel will run down to or toward the latter speed during the time that the dynamo is being speeded up to normal; in this case the mo tor torque will then maintain the gyroscope at the typical speed of 5,000 B. P. M.

In the case of an alternating current dynamo, the dynamo and motor are wound in proportion so that with the normal speed of the propeller shaft the gyroscope will be kept up to the prescribed normal speed of rotation, so that if the gyroscope fly wheel lags below this speed the motor will develop a proportionally increasing torque which will maintain it at the prescribed speed.

According to this invention the gyroscope is driven for any required time, so that itadapts itself to any imaginable increase in the range of the torpedo. The driving torque exerts no turning moment tending to deflect the axis of the gyroscope, and does not impair its-effectiveness as a steering de- Vice.

I am aware that it has been proposed to drive a gyroscope by an electro-motor after initially spinning it, so as to maintain it in revolution. But this would not accomplish the result of my invention because of the absence of any correlation between the source of energy for feeding such electromotor and the driving mechanism of the torpedo, whereby to insure the application of the requisite amount of torque for maintaining the gyroscope at its required or normal velocity.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with an automobile torpedo of a gyroscope for controlling its steering, a spinning-up mechanism adapted to spin up'the' gyroscope to normal speed during the launching operation, and an electro-motor associated with the gyroscope and a generator therefor associated with and controlled by the torpedo driving mechanism, adapted after the torpedo motor has acquired normal speed to keep the gyroscope revol 'ing at normal'speed.

2. The combination with an automobile torpedo of a gyroscope, a spinning-up mech anism therefor, an electro-motor associated with the gyroscope, and a dynamo driven from the torpedo motor at a speed proportionate'thereto and connected in circuit with said electro-motor whereby during the running of the torpedo to keep the gyroscope up to normal speed.

3. The combination with an automobile torpedo of a gyroscope comprising a fly wheel and gimbal rings, an electro-motor associated therewith, the fly wheel constituting the rotor and the inner gimbal ring the stator of said electro-motor, a spinning mechanism for spinning up the gyroscope, and a generator carried by the torpedo for energizing the said electromotor.

l. The combination with an automobile torpedo of a gyroscope comprising a fiy wheel and gimbal rings, an electro-motor associated therewith, said fly wheel constituting the rotor and the inner gimbal ring constituting the stator of said electro-motor, the respective gimbals having collector rings and brushes adjacent their pivots, a generator carried by the torpedo, and a circuit between said generator and electro-motor including said rings and brushes.

In witness where f, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK M. LEAVITT.

\Vitnesses FREDERICK L. COLw'ELL, J r., EDWARD C. BEDHEAD. 

